Chair



April 29, 1930. HAYES 1,756,551

CHAIR Filed Feb. 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7770211 as E. Hag ed,

April 29, 1930.

T. R. HAYES CHAIR Filed Feb. 2, 1928 2 sheets-sheep 2 I nvmitozp [Zomasi1. Hay

Patented Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED STATES 'rnouas n. HAYES, or mounovra,camroanm GHAIB Application filed February 2, 1928. Serial No. 251,285.

My invention relates particularly to collapsible or folding chairs ofthe class in which the seat is composed of flexible material such as awoven fabric, and is especially directed to the means whereby the seatmay be adj ustably connected with its supporting members.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a folding chairwith seat supporting means so constructed and arranged as to ten torelieve the seat from the usual tensile strains incident, in chairsofthis type, to the spreading action of the chair frame.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a folding chair withclamping means so associated with a locking element as to posi-= tivelydetermine the relative height of the chair seat with respect to thefloor upon which the chair rests, as well as the maximum width betweenthe extended side frames.

My invention oomprehends such an arrangement of the clamping means as toinsure that the chair seat supports and locking elements will bemaintained relatively parallel and normal to the legs of the chair framestructure, irrespective of any stretching of the fabric or material ofwhich the chair seat may be formed.

My invention further includes anovel arrangement of back-rest supportwhich permits both a rocking adjustment of the backrest upon ahorizontal axis and an adjustment vertically u on the upwardly extendedrear legs of the c air. The form of back-rest support as shown comprisesa slider which referably embraces the upwardly extended chair leg, andto which the back-rest frame may be pivoted if desired, said slider beinlimited by suitablyprovided stops disposed on said chair leg extensionsObviously, my invention is equally applicable to chair frame membersthat approach and separate laterally toward and from each other andthose that fold forward and back with respect to the chair.

'The form of my invention as hereinafter described, comp with legs uponeach of which a rider plate is arra slide, being provided withopdisfipleed flanges extending, along its g i' tical w and parallel withe leg comprises t leg stile 3 and the back leg rises a chair frameprovided upon which it. slides, and oppositely disposed fiangesextending along its horizontal edges and terminating short of said legtoform a pocket, the rider plates of the legs of the respective framemembers-being connected by a seat supporting rail rigidly secured insaid pocket, and a locking bar floatingly engaged in said pocket andretained by said flanges, arranged to effect jamming of the outerfiangeagainst the chair leg.-

My invention also includes all of the various novel features ofconstruction and arrange-.

ment as hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of acollapsible or folding chair conveniently embodying my invention; Fig. 2is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the details ofconstruction of the rider plate and its associated parts; Fi 3 is aperspective view of the chair shown in ig. 1, in its collapsed or foldedposition;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the chair extended orspread as shown in Fig. 1, looking toward the front thereof; Fig. 5is'an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken transversely, as shownin Fig. 4, and showing the details of the rider plate con-- nection;Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rider plate viewed as looking intothe pocket formed by the inturned flanges; and Fig. 7

.is a fragmentary plan sectional view of the back-rest and its slider bywhich it is supported u n the extended chair leg.

. In sai fi res, the right frame of the chair e front leg stile 1 andthe back leg the left frame comprises the front stile 4, the leg stiles1 and 2 being connected y the rungs 5 and 6 and the leg stiles 3 and 4being connected by the rungs 7 and 8 and the arm 9.

The ri ht frame of the chair is provided with a taile leaf 10 mounted toswing on the rung 6 and provided with the cleat 12 having stile 2, and

pivoted thereto at 13 the leaf supporting bar 15, which, as best shownin Fig. 4 is provide with the slot 16 terminating in the notch 17 and isarranged .to slide on the headed stud 18 provided on the leg stile 1 andserving as a.

eeper with which the notch 17 may engage to support the table inhorizontal position.

The leg stiles 1 and 2 of the right frame are embraced by the oppositelyflanged rider plates 19 and 20 which are connected by the seatsupporting rail 22 rigidly secured thereto by the screws 21, andaccompanied by the lockm bar 23 which is rotatably associated therewlthand which is connected by the trellis bars 26 and 27 with the chair rung7 upon which said trellis bars-are arranged to rotate.

Similarly, the leg stiles 3 and 4 of the left frame are embraced by theoppositely flanged rider plates 29 and 30, which are connected by theseat supporting rail 32 rigidly secured thereto by the screws 31, andaccompanied by the locking bar 33 which is rotatably associatedtherewith, and which is connected by the trellis bars 36 and 37 with thechair rung 5 upon which said trellis bars are arranged to rotate. Asbest shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the trellis bars are pivoted togetherintermediate of their length as at 39.-

The seat supporting rails 22 and 32 are arranged to support the seat 40which may be of any desired form or material, but may preferably be inthe form of an endless belt or' band of flexible material through thelooped ends 41 and 42 of which said rails 22 and 32 extend, asillustrated.

The back leg stiles 2 and 4 of the respective side frames of the chairare extended upwardly to support the back-rest which may preferably beformed in a manner similar to the seat and be composed of an endlessband of,.flexible material 45 through the looped eil is' 46 and 47 ofwhich the back-rest stays 48-and49 may extend as shown, said staysbeilig pivoted to the leg stiles 2 and 4.

As shown in Fig. 7, the stay braced bya channel-shaped fitting 50 whichis engaged therewith by the headed rivet 51,

and the intermediate web of said channelshaped fitting is pivotallyengaged by the pivot 52 with the slider 53, which may preferably becomposedof a strip of sheet material folded to form a rectangular tube,and having its end portions overlapped as shown and substantiallyconforming to the cxtension of the chair leg stile 4, upon which it isarranged to slide for vertically adjusting the back-rest, its movementbeing limited by the stops 54.

-As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the-rider plates are each provided withthe inturned flanges 57 58, 59 and 60, the flanges 59 and 60 cooperatingwith the flange 58 to form a pocket to be hereinafter more specificallydescribed.

49 is en1-;

The outer flange 57 is arranged to bear against the outer side ofthe'leg stiles, and the inner flange 58 is so spaced from the inner sideof the leg stiles as to embrace the ends of the seat rails and lockingbars which extend into the pocket formed by the cooperation of theflanges 59 and 60, the seat rails being rigidly engaged therein by thescrews 21, extending through the screw-hole 61, and the locking barfloatingly retained in said pocket by the flanges 58 and 60.

Although I have shown in Figs. 1, and 3 the seat-supporting rail 22engaged with the rider plate 19, and the seat-supporting rail 32 engagedwith the rider plate 29, each by two screws 21 and 31 respectively, itis to be upderstood that in view of the engagement 0 normal flanges'58and 59, best shown in F ig.

6, said supporting rails may be rigidly en gaged by but a single screw21 or 31, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the plate being interchangeable.

said supporting rails with the relatively My invention advantageous inthat by v the employment of rider plates as contemplated, the stretchingof the canvas or other flexible material forming the seat effects noinfluence upon the working members of the chair, and the seat may beremoved from the chair frames without affecting their relation.Furthermore, the weight of a person on the seat of the chair tends todraw the flange of the rider plates firmly against leg stiles, and alsotends to crowd the locking bar to the opposite side of the leg stiles,thus pinching them between the two. TlllS action is efliciently effectedregardless of any stretching of the seat material. The greater theweight on the seat ofthe chair, the more rigid it becomes, therebymaking .it at such times as solid and firm as a permanent chair. Suchconstruction alsopermits the free adjustment of the chair memberswithout conflicting with the table leaf -structure.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the precise details ofconstruction and arl'angement as herein set forth, as it is obvious thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from theessential features of my invention as defined. in the appended claims;

Having'thus described my invention, I

. claim:

movable frames having leg stiles upon engage said rider plates with saidleg- 2. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames havinleg stiles, rider plates each havin relative y parallel flanges arrangedto slida ly embrace said leg stiles and flanges relatively/normalthereto forming pockets, a locking bar floatingly en aged in saidpockets and rotatably associate with said rider plates and arranged toeffect frictional engagement of said rider plates with their respectiveleg stiles upon the spreading.

of said frames. v

3. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames having legstiles, rider plates each having flanges arrangedto slid- 1 ably embracesaid leg stiles and forming pockets, a locking bar rotatably associatedwith said rider plates and floatin ly engaged in said pockets, arrangedto e ect the engagement and release of said rider plates with theirrespective leg stiles, uponthe extension and approach of said frames,and seat supporting rails carried by said rider plates independent ofsaid locking bars, but afiording an abutment therefor.

4. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames each havinga forward leg stile and a rearward leg stile, a rider plate havingopposite relatively parallel flanges arranged to slidably embrace eachof said leg stiles, a locking barfloatingly engaged with opposed riderplates and extended between, one of the flanges of said rider plates andthe leg stile, and means connecting said locking bar with the opposedrelatively movable frame arranged to effect the rotation of said lockingbar whereby the relative separation of said frames eflects movement ofsaid looking bar to frictionally-engage said rider with its leg stile,and therelative approach of said 40 frame effects a release of saidfrictional engagement.

5. A collapsible chair comprising relatively movable frames each havingleg stiles, rider plates comprising gockets and having flanges arrangedto slida ly engage said leg stiles of one of said frames, a locking barfloatingly engaged in said pockets, between opposite leg stiles and theopposed wall of said pockets, said locking-bar being connected with theother of said frames to effect itsrotation when said frames arerelatively moved, whereby the extension of said frames cfl'ectsfrictional engagement of said rider plates with their respective legstiles, and the approach of said frames effects release of saidfrictional engagement.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day ofJanuary,

A. D. 1928. THOMAS R. HAYES.

